‘Underestimated’: How Bolsonaro defied pollsters to keep re-election bid alive

‘Now we’re going to win the election!’

Jair Bolsonaro arrives at a polling station on Sunday (AFP via Getty Images)

Many had come to bury Jair Bolsonaro – the destroyer of the Amazon, the man who would rather have a son die than be gay, and who calls Covid a “little flu” despite it killing almost 700,000 Brazilians – but the first round of voting in the country’s general election has proved that the populist has a very loyal following of supporters.

Against predictions, the current president’s vote held up, easily ensuring a second vote will be needed on 30 October.

The right-winger took more than 43 per cent of the vote, versus 48 per cent for Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, or “Lula”.